Improvement in latches



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARTHEL ERBE, OF SNOVVDEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,829, dated December 8, 1863; antedated October 24, 1863.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, BARTHEL ERBE, of Snowden township, Allegheny county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Locks or Latches, designed to render them applicable to doors opening either to the right orleft hand side; and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in Inaking the head orprotruding portion ofthe latchbolt round or cylindrical, and beveled across its axis at the usual angle, and so connecting it with the internal moving` parts that it (the latch-head) will revolve or rotate on its axis so as to present the beveled surface to either side of the case or frame in which it is. The hole in the front edge of the case, through which the latch protrudes, is also round and of such size as to allow thelatch to move freely in it.

My improvement is applicable to both mortise and rim cased locks and latches. When used in outside or rim cases, the case should be finished on both sides.

In the drawings the same letters refer to the same parts.

Figure lis a section through the case and working parts o'f a mortise-latch having my improved latch-head.

a is the case.

b is the head of the latch thrown out in its ordinary position by means of the spring g.

cis a sliding frame connected with the hub or follower d in the usual manner, and with the latch-head by the hooks z fi, (see Fig. 2,) which fit into the groove or neck of the bolt h, Fig. 2, so as to allow it to turn freely on its axis, but not to have a forward or backward motion independent of the frame e, which represents and does the office of the body or frame of the ordinary latch.

The double-inclined plane e on the rear end of the latch-head is arranged in relationto the bevel of the other end, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the action of the spring g will insure the latch-head remaining in one or other of its proper positions-that is, if it should be partially turned from its proper position the action of the springg on the inclines at e would throw it into whichever extreme position it may be nearest to.

The advantages of my improvement are obvious, and need not be dwelt upon further than to say that when the latch is made as now shown, it needs no supplemental mechanism or motion to change it from a right to a left hand latch, this being accomplished by simply turning the latcl1-head half round in its position in the case. One other advantage isthatit may be cheaply and conveniently made of wroughtiron or brass,which will make it much stronger and more serviceable than a cast-metal latch of the same size.

Having thus described my improvement, its construction and advantages, I desire to say that I am aware that various devices for reversing the latch-head have been invented. I am also aware that round latches have been used; but I believe no round latch has ever before been made reversible. for the purpose I have set forth, or for any other purpose.

I therefore desire to claim as my invention and to have secured to me by Letters Patent- Ihe use and employment of a round latchhead when the same is connected with the intei-nal moving parts, so as to revolve on its axis in the manner substantially described, for the purpose set forth.

BARTHEL ERBE.

Vi tn esses:

A. S. NrorroLsoN, A. PATTERSON. 

